La Quinta, California …
Russell Knox reckons his golfing career will not be complete unless he’s played one round alongside Tiger Woods.
Woods returns to full-time competition at Thursday’s starting Farmers Insurance Open near San Diego and the first time the 14-time Major winner will compete in a regular PGA Tour event since the hopelessly missing the cut in same event 12-months ago.
But in contrast to 2017 event when Woods clearly was not fully fit, the now 41-year old re-joins the Tour without any lingering back concerns that saw his sit out all of 2016 and play just three rounds at the start of 2017.
It wasn’t till early last month when Woods finished ninth in his own Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas that it gave him the green light on returning full-time this coming week.
One of two trophies – WGC – HSBC Champions that Russell Knox has won and that Tiger Woods does not have his name appearing.
It has also been well over two years since Woods and Knox competed in the same event and that was with each missing the halfway cut in the 2015 PGA Championship at Whistling Straits.
Since then Knox has brilliantly added his name to two trophies Woods has yet to win in his 106-pro victory career and those being the 2015 WGC – HSBC Champions and the 2016 Travlers Championship.
And Knox, who will also be teeing-up at Torrey Pines, could not be more excited.
He said: “It’s going to be epic having Tiger return next week and I can’t wait.
Tiger Woods in great spirits at last month’s Hero World Challenge.
“I’ve never played with him and I feel like my career would not be over if I was not playing alongside Tiger just once.
“So, it’s going to be great to see him, and it is not as though I will be talking to him, but you never know I might find myself paired with him over the weekend and, if so, that would be awesome and it would be really cool.
“Tiger will bring that buzz back to golf that’s been missing and everyone will be wanting to be competitive and injury-free.
“And I, like so many other golf fans around the world late last year, found myself watching him compete in the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas and played very well.
“The most important though is that Tiger look well and not a hint of struggling.
“So, his return to golf is going to be just great and I for one can’t wait to see how he gets on this coming week.”
Knox was speaking after a blistering second round 64 at the Career Builder Challenge at La Quinta, California.
It is the second straight week Knox has signed for a 64 and also in the second round in the Sony Hawaiian Open before eventually sharing 10th place on 11-under par.
Knox was tied 10th with two rounds remaining at La Quinta and excited at the thought of improving his current World No. 77 ranking and boosting hopes of returning to the Masters in April.
He said: “A 64 is probably the highest score I could of shot as I must have missed four to five other birdie chances out there.
“There were not too many rounds I have played any better than that and it was one of those rounds where I just didn’t want to leave the course, and would have loved for it to keep going.
“There was a stretch there for about 12 to 13 holes I was putting for birdie not outside 15-feet.
“So, while I am delighted to have shot eight under it could have been really special.”’
However with a round to play it was American Austin Cooks heading the $US 6.2m event posting a third round 64 to move to 19-under par and with Knox adding a 71 but dropping to a share of 21st place on 11-under par.
